Now we have been unenthusiastic within the day to check throughout categories, however there’s enough quantity of a cross-section of ability within the categories of 2024, 2025, and 2026 to create this a sound dialogue.
This no longer assuming those gamers are shoe-ins for the WNBA or that they’re lately just about as excellent because the gamers within the W, nevertheless it’s being old as a stylistic comparability to how they play games and their ceiling. It is a other more or less score dialog and a special more or less view.
To color the image and provides some transparency to the technique right here, this projection is other than a common score of any specific magnificence. Within the scores there are a handful of items which can be weighed: ability, athleticism, dimension, manufacturing and statistics, affect on profitable now and on the later point, projection with reference to the entire above, consistency, and the stream affect at the sport inside the given magnificence as when put next most effective to friends (irrespective of projected attainable). There’s a “total résumé” facet to scores of gamers in a given magnificence. This is how we way that philosophically.
On this case when speaking supremacy 10 irrespective of magnificence,extra projection comes into play games and weighs heavier within the grading rubric. The item that must be thought to be and weighed in a different way is the perception {of professional} projection — and with that comes some find out about of the WNBA. Bodily equipment, dimension, consistency, basketball judgement, and an elite ability point are the overall must haves. A few of these gamers have extra era to develop into that projection (magnificence of 2025 and 2026 on this case) than others.
That is all an incorrect science and will have to be interpreted as common opinion in line with enjoy. Those gamers are appearing specific assurance in line with the evolving grading rubric which is enthusiastic through the evolution and converting development of the sport in any respect ranges.
To play games this sport for an extended era, and subsequently challenge favorably, there are some things which can be non-negotiable: robust total basic abilities, elite facets of ability and a really feel for the sport past bodily ability — choice making and situational consciousness, bodily and performative consistency.
The alternative facet to that is how uncommon a specific participant is on the subject of mixture of dimension, ability, and athleticism. There are some gamers who can bodily do issues that others can’t do — they’re blessed with the coordination and athleticism that give them a herbal merit. The ones issues mixed with the aggressive power to win and be triumphant conserve them in uncommon breeze. So, the projection of this sort of gamers is upper just because they don’t come alongside each and every month. Learn: Maya Moore, Breanna Stewart, and A’Ja Wilson — they’re outliers.
Relating to any given participant within the supremacy 100 of a category, they, through definition are uncommon and elite. If 500,000 gamers play games a recreation in highschool — that implies roughly 125,000 gamers play games in every respective recruiting magnificence. To be in that supremacy 100 method a participant is within the supremacy .08% in their specific magnificence. Now not sinful. Some gamers are nearer to their bodily ceiling than others and that’s the place the projection comes into play games — and elements akin to athleticism, dimension, expansion (literal), and patterns of development in behavior and play games are weighed closely.
Those gamers have the prospective to play games this sport for an overly lengthy era. This performs out like a draft board and occasionally it’s a must to guess on some projection and attainable within the draft. Apparently enough quantity, none of them have dedicated to a college but.
Let’s see how they lately challenge.
*Particular due to Jason Key and “Basketball Bob” Corwin for the dialogue and debating because the ideas have been formulated for this text.
Negative. 1 Sarah Robust
Ahead, 6-foot-2
Grace Academy Sanford (NC) | Workforce Woman Robust
Elegance: 2024
Robust heads into the autumn because the Negative. 1 participant within the 2024 magnificence. She could also be probably the most distinctive participant within the nation on the subject of her versatility and talents. Robust within the paint however with a feathery contact out to the 3-point form, Robust is comfy in all places the ground. She reads movements smartly, communicates the sport on a top point, and makes teammates higher along with her persistence, passing talent, and total IQ. Her aggressiveness and total sport have been on complete show as she gained the FIBA 3X3 U18 match not too long ago in Hungary.
What can she upload? Robust can upload some technical facets and self-discipline to her defensive sport. “You are who you can guard” is a usual word in basketball circles. She is totally succesful, however to maximise versatility guarding perimeter gamers, and subsequently perimeter movements, she wishes some enjoy and consistency.
Professional Comparability: Alyssa Thomas + Rhyne Howard
Negative. 2 Sienna Betts
Middle, 6-4
Grandview (CO) | Hardwood Elite
Elegance: 2025
Betts has emerged as arguably the most productive put up participant from a projection viewpoint within the nation. The lefty put up is 6-4, and there don’t seem to be many bigs within the nation along with her ability eager. Betts has the needful abilities within to put up up and insist double groups, but additionally has the sport growth parts that create her elite. Being able to play games clear of the paint and at the perimeter through studying the ground and being a constituent passer, she is a dynamic matchup defect. She has confirmed so to put the ball at the ground with each her proper and left fingers in addition to knock i’m sick the three. Betts suits into the new-age put up participant mildew.
What can she upload? Betts will up her projection keep with extra agree with in her proper hand and enjoying extra persistently thru a powerful and coffee bottom. She has began to turn extra willingness to her proper hand to complete, however can depend on used behavior from time to time of stubbornly getting again to her dominant left. As one of the most taller gamers at the ground, enjoying in a low stance as a addiction will aide in mobility and enjoying thru touch.
Professional Comparability: A’Ja Wilson + Dorka Juhasz
Negative. 3 Olivia Vukosa
Middle, 6-4
Christ the King (NY) | Philly Stand
Elegance: 2026
Cell, robust, and professional with dimension, we see this stuff packaged into just a few gamers in this listing. Vukosa, even if one of the most youngest gamers discussed right here, initiatives rather well in all subjects. Over the latter calendar generation, the enhancements in her power and agility in addition to conditioning have grown leaps and limits. She used to be thrown into the fireplace in a bulky function as a freshman at Christ the King. Vukosa has a sophisticated care for, face up sport, and fluctuate on her shot well past the 3-point form. Her enjoy enjoying for Croatia within the FIBA W U16 Eu championship confirmed a glimpse of the uptick in aggressiveness and self belief at the ground we’ve been looking forward to.
What can she upload? As Vukosa has displayed some abilities past her years, there’s an potency issue that might aid her jerk her sport to a modern point. As a tender participant this isn’t a knock, but when we’re speaking about attending to her attainable ceiling, this is a issue. Expanding completing proportion across the rim and total taking pictures proportion can be notable. Defensively, she has a dozen to be told on the subject of the technical facets of put up protection and guarding movements inside of a sport plan. The excellent news: those are controllable and with era, she will have to be simply high quality.
Professional Comparability: Stefanie Dolson
Negative. 4 Kate Koval
Middle, 6-5
Lengthy Island Lutheran (NY) | Exodus
Elegance: 2024
Koval is some other put up participant with dimension, mobility, agility, and ability. She isn’t any stranger to a powerful agenda being the anchor of Lengthy Island Lutheran, in addition to NY Exodus for the latter two years. She has again to basket sport, face up sport, and fluctuate out to the three. She made an overly memorable play games at latter generation’s Nike TOC in Phoenix, the place she sprinted the ground and beggarly i’m sick with impeccable bottom paintings for the spot up 3 from the wing to place LUHI up overdue within the fourth quarter of the overall. Koval’s poise and persistence within the put up are very key. She passes smartly out of the double group, rankings within the face up, carves out area for rebounds, and will exit smartly defensively.
What can she upload? Koval is ready as constant because it comes at the ground, so we can must get in lieu realistic to life right here. As is the case with many put up gamers, occasionally they leave out the anticipation to deliver their bodily benefits to the ground as a result of they don’t at all times must. When speaking getting ready for the later point and above, Koval can create positive to at all times run the ground juiceless and to deliver physicality on the subject of screening or simple duck-in put up alternatives. Posts are applied higher as the extent of play games will get upper and that’s typically once we see gamers reinforce in those subjects. Her talent to keep watch on-ball disguise conditions can be key.
Professional Comparability: Aliyah Boston + Jessica Shepard + Dorka Juhasz
Negative. 5 Kennedy Smith
Ahead/wing, 6-1
Etiwanda (CA) | Cal Sparks
Elegance: 2024
Smith’s latter calendar generation is one for the ages. Her Etiwanda (CA) group gained the Viewable Section Climate Championship and nearest she led her Cal Sparks group to the Nike EYBL Championship in July. Kennedy is a continuing competitor who brings a versatility to the ground this is juiceless to check. She performs the sport with the physicality of a ahead, however the easy abilities of a wing. It’s uncommon that you simply discover a participant that may play games each positions of a pick-and-roll, however she will. She is very bouncy and that is helping her getting to the rim and at the glass. Over the process the latter generation, she progressed her care for and now is in a position to assault in transition extra successfully in addition to the part court docket. Defensively, she will keep watch somebody at the ground — perimeter or within. That can alternate just a little in school, however she’s going to reserve her personal if her group wishes her to change onto a bulky.
What can she upload? Once more, when speaking about achieving the later elite point, the enhancements are granular. On this case for Kennedy, she’s going to play games extra perimeter mins as her point will increase to collegiately and most likely past. Enhancements in shiftiness and pace adjustments along with her care for are getting to be at the listing going forward. Studying other ball disguise coverages in addition to the technical facets of coming off dribble-hand-offs or perimeter monitors will building up her sport as smartly. She can be an elite defender so movie find out about of fighters’ behavior and nuances can be key for her.
Professional Comparability: Kayla Thornton + Napheesa Collier
Negative. 6 Joyce Edwards
Ahead: 6-2
Camden (SC) | FBC United
Elegance: 2024
Job point and motor are separators on the subject of upper point basketball. Edwards brings an depth and process point to the ground no longer many can fit. She has a knack for buying her fingers on rebounds and strikes rather well relocating with out the ball to place herself in positions to attain. She has expanded her jumper and rankings the ball with latter potency in and across the paint. Even if from time to time it could possibly glance unorthodox, Edwards has a method of her personal and is a stat stuffer — flirting with triple doubles from time to time.
What can she upload? Edwards can upload some development to her care for and a few face up parts to her sport that might aid her jerk the later steps. She could be very environment friendly in her actions and does a superb activity enjoying with out the ball in her fingers and being in a position to obtain. As a participant who’s totally succesful, including some smart alternate of route abilities in addition to footwork for the face up alternatives would create her extra of a ultimatum at the ground.
Professional Comparability: Nneka Ogwumike
Negative. 7 Aaliyah Chavez
Level keep watch, 5-10
Monterey (TX) | Cy Truthful Elite
Elegance: 2025
Chavez is arguably the most productive shooter within the nation. She is a three-level scorer who’s constant from the 3, the pull-up jumper, the floater, and has quite a few completing strikes and bottom paintings to the rim in her ability eager. She hunts pictures higher than any one at the highschool point and is aware of methods to manufacture area for her jumper. She is aware of methods to get to the distant throw form and cashes in, and he or she pushes pace through instantly placing power at the protection when she will get the opening cross. She sees the ground smartly, and has an aptitude for playmaking that brings an leisure and manufacturing mixture that garners consideration.
What can she upload? As a skilled keep watch, Chavez will be informed the worth of shot variety and potency as she ascends ranges. Guards be informed the worth of having off the ball and selecting their spots as defenses get extra disciplined and sport plans get centered. She’s going to be informed that occasionally there isn’t a play games to create, regardless of her whole ability eager. Defensively, as she can be tasked with guarding some extent keep watch or a two-guard, she’s going to discover ways to be extra locked in off the ball, in addition to in ball-screen protection.
Professional Comparability: Kelsey Plum
Negative. 8 Jerzy Robinson
Shield, 6-1
Sierra Canyon (CA) | Workforce Why Now not
Elegance: 2026
Robinson has sport well past her years and the boldness to advance with it. One of the crucial youngest in this listing and in her magnificence, she brings an elite physicality to the keep watch spot. She has proven — if it is at the EYBL circuit or with USA Basketball — she’s some of the elite gamers within the nation irrespective of magnificence. She has long past from an influence keep watch that lived within the mid-range to anyone who’s a ultimatum from 3 and will top the crack. She makes excellent selections with the ball and can even get at some time on the top keep watch place. She led her Wasteland Vista group to a climate championship in Arizona as a freshman and, forward of her sophomore generation, transferred to Sierra Canyon (CA) forward of her sophomore generation the place they are going to play games a nationally aggressive agenda.
What can she upload? As a participant going into her 2d season in highschool, there’s plethora that Jerzy will be informed concerning the defensive finish of the court docket. Along with her bodily functions, a dozen can be anticipated of her as she’s going to be capable to keep watch a couple of positions — every coming with its personal nuances of data. Offensively, we will have to be expecting to look an development within the occasional shot variety and it’ll aid along with her total taking pictures percentages.
Professional Comparability: Allisha Grey, Kia Baby sitter
Negative. 9 Jazzy Davidsion
Shield, 6-2
Clackamas (OR) | Northwest Choose
Elegance: 2025
Davidson, as a lefty keep watch, is comfy all over at the ground. She has the entire abilities you may need in a keep watch — scoring prowess and the power to run the group on the top keep watch spot. She is outstanding with out the ball in her fingers coming off of various movements, whether or not it’s dribble handoff, enjoying within the prolonged Kobe-post section, the pinch put up, or off of pin downs and staggered monitors. She’s an excellent cutter, an excellent passer, and a savvy defender. As she positive factors power, she is usually a Swiss Military knife at the ground.
What can she upload? Along with her attributes, Davidson can upload no matter she desires to her sport. Her body may just worth some power added as she prepares for the later point. It’s going to aid keep an eye on her taking pictures consistency, particularly from at the back of the arc. She has the power to breaking in a sport, and because there’s the prospective, we need to see her develop into the mentality of a better in tight and aggressive matchups.
Professional Comparability: Ariel Atkins
Negative. 10 Saniyah Corridor
Shield, 6-0
Laurel College (OH) | Legends U
Elegance: 2026
Corridor has proven parts of being the entire bundle. Debuting on the 17U point this summer season, she used to be requested to hold a obese load and helped jerk her group to the Choose 40 finals. As a bulky keep watch with area, she is flexible and has proven to have a bedrock of basics that she will assemble upon within the coming years. She has a easy shot from the three the entire technique to the rim the place she elevates and will end with touch and worth her area to struggle larger defenders. She has a post-up sport and complex bottom paintings that aid her in iso conditions and to manufacture area to get off her soar shot. Defensively she competes juiceless, will get in passing lanes, and does a excellent activity at the ball. She used to be regularly tasked with protecting the fighters’ perfect perimeter participant.
What can she upload? One section shall we see some development is from time to time she’s a modest over competitive defensively, and will in finding herself in foul bother. She’s going to recuperate at this with enjoy and the improvement of behavior. Shot variety for a skilled younger participant is typically one thing that can get better. Along with her dimension, athleticism, and area she will create extra of a residue at the glass as smartly.
Professional Comparability: Jackie Younger
Additionally Thought to be
2024 Elegance:
Mikayla Blakes, (Shield, 6-0, Rutgers Prep (NJ) | Philly Stand)
Jaloni Cambridge, (Level keep watch,5-6, Montverde Academy (FL) | FBC United)
Toby Fournier, Duke dedicate (Ahead, 6-2 Crestwood Prep (CAN) | Kia Baby sitter Elite)
Jordan Lee, (Shield, 6-0, St. Mary’s Stockton (CA) | Jason Kidd Choose)
Alivia McGill, (Level keep watch, 5-9 Hopkins HS (MN) | MN Metro Stars)
Arianna Robinson, (Ahead, 6-4, Clark HS (TX) | Participant First)
Zania Socka-Nguemen, (Ahead, 6-3, Sidwell Pals (DC) | Workforce Durant)
Syla Swords, (Shield, 6-0 LUHI (NY) | Kia Baby sitter Elite)
Allie Ziebell, UConn Dedicate (Shield, 5-10, Neenah HS (WI) | Wisconsin Aviation)
2025 Elegance:
Divine Bourrage, (Level keep watch, 5-10, Davenport North (IA) | All Iowa Assault)
Aalyiah Crump, (Shield, 6-1, Minnetonka HS (MN) | North Tartan)
Zakiyah Johnson, (Shield, 6-0, Sacred Middle Academy (KY) | WV Thunder)
Emilee Skinner, (Level keep watch, 6-0, Ridgeline HS (UT) | Utah Woman Possibilities)
